Page 183 of My Big, Fat, Hot Billionaire Enemy

The only company I want is waiting for me back at the penthouse tonight.

Dominic gets up to leave, clapping me on the shoulder. “Anyway, glad to see things working out, Chris. Seriously. Youearned it.”

Lucy arrives backat the penthouse that evening. She walks in, kicks off her shoes, and collapses onto the sofa with a contented sigh.

I pour her a glass of wine, settling beside her. The city lights glitter outside, no longer a kingdom to conquer, but simply… a view.

A backdrop to this life I never expected to have.

“Good day, CEO Hammond?” I murmur, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Exhausting, but good,” she replies, leaning into my touch. “The re-opening felt… right.” She looks up at me, her eyes soft. “Thank you, Christopher. For saving that building. For saving Hammond & Co. For… everything.”

“It was a sound investment,” I deflect automatically, though we both know it was more than that. I look around the room, at her things subtly blending with mine. Ather, curled comfortably beside me.

“Lucy,” I begin, wanting to reveal mytruefeelings, rather than deflecting again. “Working with you, fighting with you, fightingforyou… it dismantled everything I thought I knew about myself. About business. About what actually matters.” I take her hand, holding her gaze. “My father built his empire on fear and destruction. But you showed me that was bullshit. That there is strength in integrity, in vulnerability, inbuildingconnections instead of burning them.” I bring her hand to my lips. “You say I saved Hammond & Co.? You’re wrong, you know...yousavedme.”

Tears well up in her eyes, but she’s smiling.

“We saved each other, Christopher,” she whispers. “Maybe we had to start as enemies to truly understand how to be partners.”

Partners.

The thought settles deep inside me. The ghosts of the past are finally quiet.

Laid to rest.

I pull her close, burying my face in her hair, breathing in her familiar scent.

The ruthless businessman is still part of me, of course, and always will be. But it’s tempered now. Guided by a different compass. Pointed towards a different true north.

Her.

Our future won’t be without challenges. Integrating companies, navigating markets, dealing with the lingering fallout… there will be battles.

But we’ll face them together.

Not as adversaries, not even just as allies.

But true partners, in every sense of the word.

With Lucy beside me, I look out at the endless city lights once more. Yes, I feel no need to conquer anymore.

None at all.

We’ve already built our empire, right here.

And that’s the only victory that matters.